Prosecutors: GOP lobbyist Sam Patten provided ‘substantial assistance’ to Mueller team

GOP lobbyist Sam Patten provided “substantial assistance” to special counsel Robert Mueller and other investigations, federal prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Washington, D.C., said in a court filing Monday.

Patten will be sentenced on Friday. Last August, he pleaded guilty to violating foreign lobbying laws through his efforts on behalf of a Ukrainian political party.

Prosecutors did not recommend a sentence for Patten, but did say he deserves leniency for his cooperation, which they described as “immediate.”

“Patten has met with government investigators, in person or by phone, a total of nine separate times to answer numerous questions and explain various documents,” prosecutors wrote. “In all of these sessions, Patten has been honest and straightforward with government investigators.”

Defense attorneys have asked for probation, saying he did not try to conceal his work for on behalf of the Ukrainian political party, nor did he try to hide the money he earned form the IRS.

“[D]uring the course of a long business relationship where Mr. Patten advised his clients on matters related solely to Ukrainian politics and elections, he did a few favors for his clients that crossed the line into FARA-registrable activity,” his attorney, Stuart Sears wrote.

Prosecutors declined to offer more information about his cooperation, saying it would the issue would be addressed in a sealed filing.

One case in which he appeared to provide cooperation was against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Prosecutors said Patten provided evidence against Manafort and planned to testify against him at his criminal trial for foreign lobbying charges and other crimes.

Manafort was eventually sentenced to seven-and-a-half years for his crimes.

Patten also submitted a letter to the judge, expressing remorse for his crimes and pledging that he is a new man.

“In the eight months since I pleaded guilty before you, and more than a year since this journey began for me, I have changed,” Patten wrote to Judge Amy Berman Jackson. “To an even more meaningful degree than the day the FBI came to my door, I have surrendered. But in admission and surrender, I have also come to know a certain peace.”

Patten’s lawyers said he has given up drinking and has attended more than 150 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings since pleading guilty. His AA sponsor was among 45 people who submitted a letter to Judge Jackson asking that she hand down a lighter sentence.

Although Patten admitted last year that he illegally purchased tickets to President Trump’s inauguration from a Russian national, he said the goal was not to inject funds into the president’s coffers.

In fact, his attorneys said he didn’t even support the president.

“Mr. Patten did not support the Trump campaign and while he may have known people who worked for the campaign at various times, he had no personal connection to it,” his lawyers wrote. “Indeed, Mr. Patten not only openly opposed the Trump candidacy but even broke with his party when he voted for President Trump’s opponent in the 2016 presidential election.”